Christian miller



June 7, 1949. C. MILLER 2,472,382

MUSICAL CHIME SIGNAL CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 21, 1945 45 V\ i I 335 l 46 f 4a G30 20 9 I INVENTOR 45C 36 JO CH/Q/JWA/V /7/44@ 28 WQMWW 35 ATTORNEIY Patented June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MUSICAL CHINIE SIGNAL CONSTRUCTION Christian Miller, Norwalk, Conn., assignor to Edwards and Company, Inc., Norwalk, Conn., a corporation of New York Application December 21, 1945, Serial No. 636,482

Claims. 1

This invention relates to musical chime signalling construction.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a simple, practical, and reliable mechanically-actuated musical chime mechanism that will be capable of dependable actuation through a wide range of thicknesses of door panels or the like on which it is mounted, and actuatable by a simple type of manual movement from the exterior of the panel. Another object is to provide a device of the above-mentioned character in which the external actuator may be constructed to simulate a door knocker and in which the sounding mechanism on the other side of the door panel is actuatable thereby by simple and efficient mechanism operable throughout varying thicknesses of door panel. Another object is to provide a musical signalling apparatus of the above-mentioned character that will be of inexpensive and lasting construction, dependable action, and well adapted to meet widely varying conditions of practical installation. Another object is in general to improve the construction and action of musical signalling mechanisms, and other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which is illustratively shown in preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the chime signalling device as seen with the cover removed;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the cover in position and the entire mechanism as installed and ready for operation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view or elevation as seen along the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, as seen from the right in Fig. 2, of that portion of the mechanism that is external of the door or other panel.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawmg. I

I preferably provide a base plate H) of sheet metal, preferably peripherally flanged, as at H, to rest against a vertical surface such-as the inside face of a door panel l2 (Fig. 2) to which the device may be secured, as by screws, the base I0 having suitable holes l3 for that purpose.

Along the respective longitudinal side edges of the base ID are supported two Vibratable sounding elements l4 and I5, illustratively taking the form of elongated metal plates or bars, preferably differently dimensioned so as to emit distinguishing musical tones. The elements l4 and I5 are thus spaced from each other and are preferably parallel, and may be supported in such relation to the base ill in any suitable way as, for example, by L-shaped brackets l6 (Fig. 1) of sheet metal secured in any suitable way to the base I0, as by providing them with feet iii which are spot-welded to the sheet-metal base 10; at their outer ends the brackets l6 are provided with suitable means, including bushings ll, of rubber or other resilient or cushioning material, that extend through suitable holes in the sounding elements l4, l5, thereby also voiding damping of their tone-emitting vibration.

I provide a striker 18 for impacting the sounding elements in response to the actuation of an external manual actuator l9 mounted on the other face of the door panel l2 (see Fig. 2) and. constructed or arranged to simulate a door knocker in that it is mounted to pivot at its upper end about a horizontal axis. More particularly, the external actuator l9 may comprise an elongated lever 20 (Figs. 2 and 4) pivotally carried by a pin 2! between spaced lugs 22-23 (Fig. 4) which are formed integrally with a suitably shaped and preferably ornamental plate 24 which may be secured against the outside face of the panel l2, as by screws 25. The plate 24, in between the lugs 22-23, has therein a vertical slot 26 of substantial vertical extent, and through the slot 25 extends a stiff or rigid bar or rod 21 which is rigidly secured to the lever arm 20 at substantially right angles thereto and preferably at a point materially displaced (upwardly in Fig. 2) from the pivoting axis 2| of the actuator arm 20, and with that preferred relationship, swinging of the arm 20, throughout a relatively small angle, transmits to the rod 21 a combined motion of translation and of pivoting, giving the inner or left-hand end of the rod 21 a substantial range of movement in an up and down direction. The lower end of the actuator arm 20 may be provided with any suitable hand or finger grip, such as a cross-bar 28, which may be readily grasped and swung outwardly (counterclockwise in Fig. 2), throughout a suitable and preferably small angle, from its normal innermost position.

The external actuating mechanism will thus be seen to be of simple and inexpensive construc- 3 tion and may be made up as a single entity, with the lever rod 21 of substantial length, and it will be seen that the device, after drilling a suitable large hole I2 through the panel l2 for the passage therethrough of the rod 21, may be readily and quickly mounted in position on the outside face of the. doorpanel l2. A substantial portion ofthe rod 21, depending upon the thickness of the door panel -l2 met with, thus projects inwardly from the inner face of the door panel [2 and is received through a long vertical slot 29 in the base plate [0, the 'slot '29 being positioned to one side of the vertical center line (Fig. 1) of the base plate lp janld being of a width to substantially snugly receive the rod 2'! (see Fig. 3) so that the remaining portion of the rod 21 projects into the interior of the enclosure formed by the base plate I and the cover 30 (see Fig. 2); the slot 29, furthermore, forms a guide for .guiding the rod 21in its movement in a vertical plane ati'd stead'ie'sth'e'rod, in coaction with the mounting of the'rod 21 to the external mounting structure, against lateral I or side strains, as viewed in Figs, 1 and '3. p The rod 21 may 'bejof round cross' secti'on and tightly secured or fitted ihtota drilled "hole 2!] (Fig. 2) in the heavy shank of the actuator'lever 20.

, Next I provide aflever structure 3| and a strikerjever or link 32, and arrange them to be co'axially pivoted 'withltheflever structure '3! coacting with a portion of the rod 21 that projects through the'slot'29. ,Th e lever'structure'is preferably in the "form of a "sheet-metal stamping, conformed to Uashape, having an inner plate '33 (Figsj 3and 1') shaped j'asv is 'better shown inFig; 3, and an outer andfperipheifalplate34 shaped as is better shown in "Fig, 1,, the two being integrally joinedj 'by' a 'cross-pl ate35. 'Inner plate 33 is provided with a hole "33 (Fig.3) and outerplate 34 is provided with an open ended" slot 31, t'he inner end of whieh is'ro u'nded or curved and is coazgial'w'ith the hole 36 in the'o'p'posite plate so that thetwo may form afpair'of' spaced bearings.

u The striker link or arm32 (see 2) may also be in the form of" a 'sheet-n'i etal'stamping, being given theshapelof an inverted U 'and hence having tw'o depending spaced jarn'is" 38 fandf39provi'de'd with ears 'Hlan'd'd I, respectively, to form in effect trunnionsfthestriker lever32 has an upward extension 42jtowhich thestriker head [8' is secured iria'ny suitable way.

To the 'leff t 'of the"ldwer'end of the slot'29 Fig. 3)the1basefplate' I isjprovi dedwith a hole 4-3 (Fig 2) with which th'ehe1e36 in the'back plate33 (Fig. 3) is "alignedby'positioning theU- shaped levers'tructure 31 with the'plate 33 resting flatwise against the base plate I0, an'dwith the holes 36 and l3thus in register, the trunnion 40 'or the striker arm '32 'is"pa'ss'e dinto both holes (see Fig; 2) ,thusproviding a pivotal support from the base plate 10" of both the arm '38 of the striker lever 32 and the back'plate 33 of the lever structure 3!. As this assemblage 'is carried'on, the opposite trunnion'4'I .'(Figs.'2"and 1) "is passed into the slot 31 0f the 'front P1812634 (Fig. 1) and bottomed in the slot, leaving-"a substantial portion of the. trunnion 4| projecting forwardly (to the left in Fig. .2) 0f the front 'plate 34.

Thereupon a U -s'haped bearing :br'acket- 45, 'also conveniently i-n'the form of a "sheet-nrie'tal stamping, is positioneda'nd secured in place to' provide a bearing for .the" still" pr0jectingporti0n of the trunnion 4|. The bracket45 has afrontp'ortion 45 providedwith'ahole' 45 (Figs. 1 and'2)into which the "trulillion 4 I "is rec i vedand' twdpa'rallel side arm portions and 45 (Figs. 1 and 3) which extend rearwardly to the base plate 10 by which they may be secured to the base plate Ill by screws or bolts 43 (Fig. 1).

A tensioned coiled spring 48 (Figs. 1 and 2) is connected between the cross-plate 35 of the lever structure 31 andthe cross-portion of the forked or U-shape'd striker lever 32, and by its component of upward pull on the lever frame 3|, as viewed in Fig. 1, prevents sliding disengagement between the trunnion 4| and the slotted front plate 34, insuring that the former always bottoms in the slot.

v The side arms 15 and 45 (Fig. 3) of the bearing bracketfl "alsoicoact to limit pivoting move- 'ment of the 'lvrfiame 3|, the rear plate 33 and front plate "3 3 of which have extensions 33 and 34?, respectively, that present parallel edges for engaging simultaneously with the horizontal side arm 45 and thuslimit the counter-clockwise rotary movement of the lever structure 3|. The back plate 33 (Fig. 3) has a levrlike-extension 33 that presents an edge 339-t'oengage theother horizontal side arm 45 and thus limit rotary movement in clockwise directiomandit also presents a cam-likeedge 33 for coaction with the rod 27 that projects through'th'e slot 29 which the lever-like extension s'a tve'rnes, as is better show'n in Figs. 3"and 2.

The spring'flBfis so proportioned and tensioned as to tend to swing thele'ver structure 3| an'dt-he striker lever "32 'in directions toward 'each other, whether the line 'o'f'pull of the 'spring 48 is tothe right of the "conimbn-a'xi'sof thesepartsasshown in'Fi'g. lj'orisis'o the left threof, the line ofpull of "thespring 'pa ssi-ng through the dead center" or this'commonaxis-upontransition from onepo sitioh to the other" and-the spring 48 "bodilypartaking of shift'in'its position byway of the free space providedbetwen' the'arms 33"-39 of structure 32 (Fig. 4), itb'eihg noted that, even though the fre'e end screen o f-*the rod 21' projects leftwardly"('-'in'Fig. '2') beyond-the spring 48, therod 2'! is out of'tliepathofinoveinent of thesprirrg 48'a'n'd' also *ofthe swinging lever 32 because of its substantiallateral displacement (Figs. land 3) from the center line of'-the base plate In. Hence, in installation, varying-extents of inward projection of the rod 21 through "the base plate l-D, "varyingjwith the "thicl fnes'sof the *door' panel, need not"give"any concern re; it is impossible-to interfere with thernover'iintof the moving parts.

A coiled spring 50 (Figs. 3 and l)- connects" the cros's i -late" SF'and the side -arm 45 of the bearing bracket 45 and biases the lever 'structure3-l always to the position shown in Fig; 3.

The driving connectlon between the levenstructu 're 3 I and the-striker arm- 32 being solelyby way of the spring 48, suitablemeans-areprOVided to control-the range of swing ofthe striker head 13 sothat it doesnot'dainothdvibrating sounding elementaf ter striking mama convenient means for thisfpurpose' comprises a*-"U-shaped sheetmetal "frame" 5;! (Figs: 1"a-r idi2) secured to the base plate Ilka-rid" having projecting forwardly therefrom arms 5| gage 51 that terminate in thepaths bf 'mqvement; respectively the le ft and right, of the tensioned spring 48 '(Fig; 1) rand; if desired, the arms 3| and 5| may be provided with elem s 2 16" '51? madeofahy suitable non-metallidrnateri'al so that"the-i'rn pact of the spring thereagain st does'notsetupany disturbing sound. The elements i51 and 5l hd h0t be resilient, though they "can: be made'=- f rubber; resilient or notj a-s may be-desired. The gene 5'1 -and 51- after completion of assembly of the frame 5| to the base plate It, as by spot welding or screws or the like, may be bent into respective positions such that, when engaged by the spring 48 in either of the clockwise or counter-clockwise positions of the arm 32, the striker head H3 is held by an appropriate distance out of contact with the adjacent soundin element.

When the external actuator I9 is given a small counter-clockwise angular movement (Fig. 2) the downward sweeping movement of the rod 21 causes a clockwise rotary movement of the lever structure 3| by its camming action along the cam edge 33 of the lever extension 33 (Fig. 3). At the start of the clockwise swing of the frame 3| (Fig. 3) resistance to turning movement might be considerable, but that is overcome by the unique camming action of the rod 21 along the cam edge 33 which is upwardly inclined at a considerable angle (see Fig. 3) during the first portion of the moving stroke, the cam edge during this portion making an acute angle with the left-hand wall of the slot 29, the downward movement of rod 21 acting in efiect by a forcemultiplying wedging action, thus dependably starting the swinging of the lever structure 3| against the tension of springs 56 and 48. The swinging motion is continued thereafter principally by the accompanying lever action of the rod 2? on the lever arm 33 and, since the lower end of spring 43 has passed "dead center, that being the line extended downwardly along the striker arm 32 as seen in Fig. 1, the energy stored in the spring 48 is expended to quickly swing the arm 32 in counter-clockwise direction and impact it against the sounding element M; the spring 48, however, first striking the element 5| on the arm 5W, but, because of the resiliency of the spring 48 and the momentum of the weighted striker head |8, the latter biases what would otherwise be an at rest position to strike the sounding element l4, from which it rebounds, aided by the coaction of the spring 48 with the element 5| so as not to damp the vibrating element M.

In this relationship of the parts, the extent of rotary movement of the lever structure 3| in clockwise direction is limited by the engagement of the lower edges of the plate parts 33 and 34 against the under edge of the side arm 45, these parts thereby also limiting the extent of downward swing of the operating rod 21.

If the actuating member l9 (Figs. 4 and 2) is then released, the energy stored in spring 50 (Fig. 3) commences the counter-clockwise rotary movement of the lever frame 3|, thus again tensioning the spring 48 and storing energy in it, until the lower end of spring 48 biases the dead center position, whence its energy is expended to swing the striker structure in clockwise direction toward the other sounding element [5 which it strikes by biasing the limit of its movement as determined by the spring 48 and the element 5|, the spring 48 yielding under the energy of motion of the striker head, but, aided by some rebound of the striker head from the sounding element l5, restoring the striker head to its at rest position (as shown in Fig. 1) out of contact with the sounding element l5, and thus again not permitting damping of the vibrations thereof. The action takes place quickly, the counter-clockwise movement of the lever frame 3| being limited by the engagement of the front and back plates 33 and 34 with the upper edge of the side arm 45, as shown in Figs.

1 and 3, and being accompanied by the camming upwardly along the slot 29 of the operating bar 21 and thereby restoring the external actuator I9 to its normal at rest position, from which it is to be moved upon a subsequent actuation.

In thenormal or at rest position of the parts, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lever extension 33 of the back plate 33 covers over a substantial portion of the slot 29, and the cam edge 33 forms in effect a bottom edge for so much of the slot 29 that is left free to receive the rod 21 when installing the two external and internal portions of the mechanism, and, in so doing, the lever portion 33 fixes the height at which the base plate |fl is to be secured to the panel l2 after the external actuator mechanism has been secured to the external face of the panel l2 and the actuator arm 20 thereof given a somewhat inwardly-swung position, as indicated in Fig. 2. Installation is thus simplified, even though any angularity of the operating rod 21 relative to the horizontal causes different vertical displacements of the base plate It relative to the external actuator mechanism for difierent thicknesses of panel I2.

The cover or closure 3i], which may be a sheetmetal drawing, closes over the entire mechanism, having side walls 3|] which telescopically interfit with the flange H of the base plate Hi to which it may be secured in any suitable manner, preferably detachably. In the side walls adjacent the sounding elements I4 and I5, suitable apertures 30' may be provided for sound transmission, the entire enclosure functioning preferably as a resonator.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention a musical chime signalling construction in which the various objects hereinbefore noted, together with many thoroughly practical advantages, are successfully achieved.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth, or shown in the accompanying drawing, is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense,

I claim:

1. In a signalling device comprising a frame having two sounding elements mounted thereon in spaced relation, a striker having means movably supporting it for movement into successive impact with said sounding elements, actuating means comprising a rock lever structure pivotally supported by said frame and having mechanical connection with said striker to actuate the latter in response to rocking movement of the rock lever structure, said frame having a slot therein for the projection thereinto of an external actuator, and an actuator projecting through said slot and having means mounting it for movement lengthwise of said slot, said rock lever structure having a lever-like arm substantially overlying said slot and having a cam surface engaged by said actuator to rock said rock lever structure in response to actuation of said actuator.

2. In a signalling device for mounting on a panel wall or the like and comprising a sounding element, a lever having a striker head, and means or pivotally mounting said lever, means for actuating said lever comprising, a member having a plurality of arms, and pivotal mounting means for said member, actuator means adapted to ride on one of the said arms of said member as a cam,

7 surface to translate rectilinear action into rotativeaction thereby to rotate said member, stop means in the rotative path of said member and adapted by contact against the respective arms of said member to limit the rotati-ve movement of said member, spring means interconnecting said member and said striker lever intermediate its ends :and other :spring "means biasing said member so that its said spring meanswhen at.

rest is angularly related toisaiidstriker lever and in action is moved alternately from one side to the other side of the said pivot of the striker lever as said member is rocked back "and forth on its pivotal mounting within the limits per-- mitted by its said stop means.

3. In a signalling device comprising .a .frame, two sounding elements mounted thereon inspaced relation, a lever carrying a striker for alternate impacting against said sounding elements, a .rock lever structure, and means coaxially pivoting said rock lever structure and said lever tone-said frame, and spring means interconnected between said :stri'ker lever intermediate its ends and said rock shaft structure whereby said striker lever is actuated with a snap. action in response .tosirocking of said lever ante-33a structure in either direction, and :means for actuatingsaid lever structure to rock it.

:4. A signalling device as claimed in claim 3 in which the means for rocking said rock lever structure comprises an vactuator, and means for mcuntingsaid actuator for rectilinear movement in frictional engagement with said rock lever structure.

:5. A signalling device as claimed in claim 3 in which said spring means is angu'larly disposed With-respect to said striker lever at all times except momentarily when passing from one side toatheotherside of the pivot of said striker lever during each swing of said lever structure and striker lever.

CHRISTIAN MILLER REFERENCES CITED The 'fOIIO'Wi'IlE references are of record in'th'e file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 164,126 Arnold June 8, I875 11','2:1- 6,483 Pape Feb. '20, 1917 2,208,066 Auth July 16, 1940" Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,472,382 June 7, 1949 CHRISTIAN MILLER It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 1, line 29, before the word arrangements insert and; line 34, for in preferred read a preferred; column 6, line 71, for or read for;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,472,382 June 7, 1949 CHRISTIAN MILLER It is hereby certified that errors appear in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 1, line 29, before the Word arrangements insert and; line 34, for in preferred read a preferred; column 6, line 71, for or read for;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of February, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

